Amber Valley

Amber Valley's population grew in the 10 years leading up to 2011. Data from the census also show there were changes in religion, housing tenure and health.

The population passed 120,000

In the decade leading up to the most recent census, the population of Amber Valley increased by 5.0%, from about 116,000 to 122,000.

The addition of just over 5,800 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Amber Valley was home to, on average, 3.3 people per football pitch-sized piece of land (about 7,140 square metres).

Population density was higher than the average across the East Midlands

Population density (usual residents per 7,140 square metres) across the East Midlands, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Amber Valley

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Amber Valley increased by three years, from 40 to 43 years.

This rural area had a higher average age than the East Midlands and remained somewhat older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just under 5,100 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just over 3,000.

About 13% of people in Amber Valley are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, East Midlands and Amber Valley by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Amber Valley

The number of people in Amber Valley that described themselves as having no religion increased from just under 19,000 in 2001 to just over 37,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 16% to 30% of the local population.

The percentage increased by more than the average across the East Midlands (from 16% to 27%) and the average across England (from 15% to 25%).

The number of people in Amber Valley that described themselves as Christian decreased from about 88,000 in 2001 to just under 75,000 in 2011 (from 76% to 61%). The number of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation increased from about 8,900 to about 9,000. However, as a percentage of the total population, this represented a decrease from 7.7% to 7.3%.

About 580 people (0.2%) said they identified with a religion other than Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism or Sikhism, up from about 230 in 2001 (0.5%).

There are many factors that can cause changes to the religious profile of an area, such as migration and varying fertility rates between religious groups. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population without a religion in Amber Valley increased by 14 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, East Midlands and Amber Valley by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Amber Valley that rented privately increased from 6.7% to 12% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just under one in eight (12%) households lived in social housing, compared with 13% in 2001. The percentage of Amber Valley households that owner their home decreased from 77% to 74%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased at a slower rate here than the figure for the whole of the East Midlands (from 8.5% in 2001 to 15% in 2011). Across England, the proportion increased from 9.9% to 17%.

Private renting in Amber Valley increased by 5.1 percentage points

Percentage of households in Amber Valley, the East Midlands and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Amber Valley residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 10% to 6.0% between the last two censuses.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just under 8 in 10 (79%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 66% in 2001. The percentage of Amber Valley residents that described their health as fair decreased from 24% to 15%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the East Midlands (from 9.4% in 2001 to 5.7% in 2011). Across England, the proportion fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Amber Valley decreased by 4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Amber Valley, the East Midlands and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Amber Valley working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 14% to 10% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under 1 in 40 (2.3%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 1.4% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the East Midlands (from 14% in 2001 to 10% in 2011). Across England, the proportion fell from 13% to 10%.

Long hour working in Amber Valley decreased by 3.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Amber Valley, the East Midlands and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

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Area report data

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